Page 15 of Shattered Galaxies (Tears of the Siren #6)

Lorcan

It had been at least two hours since the garden, since receiving the second part of the composition. Since seeing my mother. Zander hadn’t let go of me—not until we were back in the sunlight and surrounded by the others in our guest suite.

Valentina had said she would send word for dinner, but I’d barely heard her, wrapped in my own thoughts.

Not grief—although I did grieve what could have been.

No, this was something closer to hesitant hope.

I not only had the next piece of the composition, but I finally had answers—about Beryl, about who we needed to find next: the phoenix queen.

While my men tried to sort through it all, I stood at the balcony, my fingers curled around the cool stone, my gaze trailing over the lush realm.

If this had been a different time—one not wrought with war—I might’ve suggested exploring.

But I could feel the clock ticking, sense time slipping through our fingers.

And if this realm ran on a different rhythm altogether, I had no idea how much time was washing away.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. Dean opened it, his broad shoulders squared as he stared down at the steward.

“Queen Valentina requests your welcomed presence at dinner.”

Grateful I’d already changed into a softer, more formal gown—something similar to what Valentina had worn earlier—I joined my men as we followed the steward. I doubted she’d care what we wore, but when in Rome...

As my men and I walked the halls of the great castle, I was hyper-aware of the energy coursing through our bonds—an energy that was both exhilarating and grounding.

They’d all felt the moment I received the composition, but apparently it had sent Dean into a near-spiral, not being with me at the time.

When I returned to the suite, he held me for nearly half an hour, his heartbeat slowly calming as the others spoke about what came next.

“How do you feel?” Adriel asked as he appeared at my side, resting a hand on my back. The warmth of his palm brought a soft smile to my lips. His expression had softened since earlier—there was less tension, but a shadow of sadness lingered.

“I feel like I should be asking you that,” I said. “How did things go with Milo?”

“We haven’t had a good chance to speak yet,” Adriel admitted. “I’m glad he’s alive—that’s more than I can say for most of the people I grew up with. And those who survived…aren’t exactly thriving.”

“Maybe after dinner you’ll have a chance to talk to him,” I said hopefully, leaning into him. “I’ve been thinking about everything—about meeting my mom—and I really want to try to explain everything to Valentina. She’s shown us more openness and trust than I ever expected.”

“I trust them to be allies,” Dean said. I snapped my head to the side, catching the intensity in his dark blue gaze.

“That’s surprising,” I said. “Why?”

Dean was cautious about everyone . Not that I disagreed, but still. This was rare.

“I can read their magic, even her mates. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a shifter and this land is so connected to the earth and the source of my magic, but I can damn near read their intentions.”

Coming to a stop, I looked around at the others, my brow furrowed. “Have any of you experienced anything similar?”

“To an extent,” Cash said. “I’m usually good at reading people, but even I’ll admit it’s been heightened.”

“I hadn’t thought about it,” Draven added, looking uncertain, “but I did sense the steward’s intentions while he was walking down the hall to get us.” The steward, who now waited patiently at a polite distance.

“It could be your magic bleeding through the bonds,” Zander suggested, his eyes flashing with interest. “That would explain the shared awareness. It could be useful…but also complicated.”

“If it takes any of the burden off you—feeling intentions, knowing truths—I’m completely fine with it,” Rhett said.

His words warmed me, drawing a smile to my lips and easing the pressure in my chest. I nodded and reached out to squeeze his hand before turning to Desmond, who was watching me closely.

“What about you, Desi?”

“I haven’t noticed much difference,” he said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “But it did remind me of a dream I had last night where I could use compulsion. Just for a moment, like a flash.”

“That would be wild if you could tap into my magic, even a little,” I said, biting my lip. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. I wanted them to understand me more, truly I did, but my powers came with their own kind of hell.

Was I unintentionally passing that hell onto them?

The steward cleared his throat, gently reminding us to continue. As we walked, Zander appeared at my side, and I looked up to find his usual thoughtful, almost clinical expression replaced with something more vulnerable. The others had drifted ahead, giving us a brief moment of quiet.

“If they’re receiving your magic, it’s likely minor. Don’t worry too much, starlight.”

“I can tell you don’t like the idea of them receiving siren magic,” I said quietly as we descended a grand set of stairs.

“I don’t,” Zander admitted, “for a lot of reasons. One being that I’m selfish. Our connection, it’s…sacred to me. I feel like it’s the one place I belong in your life.”

“Zander,” I whispered, emotion tightening my throat. “You don’t hold just one space. I want you—all of you—with me. Siren or not.”

Since the plane, we hadn’t had time to truly talk. Now, with this small moment between us, the knot in my chest loosened. Zander’s eyes flared with heat and affection as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

A pair of heavy doors opened before us, revealing a warm, inviting dining hall. I immediately paused, overwhelmed by the presence of powerful magical signatures—seven in total, including Valentina’s.

My gaze swept the room, past the dark stone walls hung with tapestries, ignoring the table overflowing with food and focusing instead on the power present.

I could feel their magic. Not just feel it—read it.

Valentina stood in the center, a vibrant source of dark green energy that pulsed like life itself. To her left, Milo’s aura was a dark void, like ink spilled across the floor. On her right was a shifter with a fiery red aura who gave us a friendly smile.

The other four spread throughout the space. One stood cloaked in shadows, his presence holding a military-like edge. Another shifter lingered protectively behind Valentina, his aura a deep, steady hum, earthy and strong.

Then came the final two, both arresting in very different ways.

One, another shadow-wrapped male, lingered near the edge of the room, his aura curling protectively toward his wife.

The last I couldn’t place. Not a shifter, not anything I recognized.

Just dangerous. He sat at the table, still and eerie, his eyes devoid of emotion.

Watchful, empty. I couldn’t read his aura at all.

“Welcome!” Valentina called out warmly as one of the men from behind her motioned to our arrival.

I blinked and smiled, hiding how rattled I felt. She stepped forward and pulled me into a hug before speaking in a soft voice only I could hear.

“I’ve already told my men what happened, and we’re all open to hearing whatever you have to share. You’re completely welcome here, Lorcan.”

“Thank you,” I said seriously. Out of all the women I had met on this journey, Valentina was the first I truly admired, like a mentor. Her chaos, her command of darkness, her balance—it was something I deeply respected. I wanted her to understand. I needed her to.

“But first,” she said, “let me introduce everyone.”

As she named her men—Vaughn, Francisco, West, Dimitri, Milo, and Brody—and I introduced mine, we all took our seats.

I looked across the table, inhaled slowly, and said, “I think the easiest way to explain is to start from the beginning. Yes, we came for the composition piece, but I don’t think that’s the only reason fate led us here.

I believe we were meant to find each other.

And I believe we’re going to need your strength for what’s coming next. ”

Adriel

I worried at first that Lorcan would struggle to explain the situation, not because she didn’t understand it, but because her cosmic grasp on the danger we faced was so much larger than anything most mortals or immortals could comprehend.

But as always with my princess, she handled it perfectly.

As we sat, barely touching the food in front of us, I listened to her explain her powers—how they affected others, how they were tied to her ability to hear the stars.

To hear their cries. I could tell it surprised Zander, who sat tensely beside her, clearly unused to sharing their secrets so openly.

Cash, for different reasons, mirrored his discomfort.

He watched each of Valentina’s men like they were pieces in a puzzle he hadn’t quite put together yet.

I wasn’t as worried. Much like Dean, who watched Lorcan with rapt, focused attention, I could feel the authenticity in the room.

Lorcan spoke about the composition pieces we were searching for and how our next destination was a realm of fire and truth.

She painted a vivid picture of the cosmic war building behind the veil of our worlds, the allies we’d gathered, and how our journey had become about much more than just acquiring a weapon.

This was about survival.

Her voice carried conviction and vulnerability in equal parts, and by the end, I reached beneath the table to squeeze her hand in silent support.

“We never expected to find allies in a realm we’d never stepped foot in before,” she said. “But now that we’re here, I have to ask—will you help us?”